Measuring earthquakes

The intensity of an earthquake is measured using the Moment Magnitude Scale, which has replaced the older Richter Scale. This scale is logarithmic, meaning each whole number increase on the scale represents a tenfold increase in measured amplitude and about 31.6 times more energy release. For example, a 6.0 on the Moment Magnitude Scale releases over 30 times more energy than a 5.0. Understanding earthquakes and their impacts is crucial, especially for those near active fault lines or plate boundaries.